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The Outdoor Industry Was Way Ahead of Pantone

Classic Blue gear has been in our closets for years

What makes this color so good?

Published December 13, 2019 12:00AM

Pantone’s executive director Leatrice Eiseman calls Classic Blue—the color authority’s pick for 2020 Color of the Year—“a boundless blue evocative of the vast and infinite evening sky.” We call it a gear-closet staple: it graces our packs, water bottles, coat racks, and sock drawers. But this year, we especially noticed the blue wave taking over the outdoor industry. “Our Winter Buyer’s Guide cover was actually very Classic Blue,” says Outside art director Petra Zeiler. “Gear brands were definitely on top of the trend.”

What makes this color so good? It’s warmer and brighter than indigo, more interesting than navy. “And the coolest part is that it goes with everything, so it feels dynamic,” Zeiler says. It’s true: pair Classic Blue with all the hard-to-pull-off brights and neons in your kit and let its calming vibes provide a sense of unity. “I live for this color,” adds Kyra Kennedy, Outside’s photography editor. “It’s something literally everyone looks good in.”

To add a little more Classic Blue to your life in 2020, we scoured the web for ten great pieces that feature the color proudly.